As an allergy mental health expert, my emails share evidence-based information that you and your patients can apply in practical ways. At the same time, these emails are written in the same warm and relatable tone I use in all of my content. You'll feel as if we're sitting down, talking over a cup of coffee (or tea, since I'm not a coffee drinker)! And if you haven't visited my website, be sure to check out all of the evidence-based and life-impacting content that continues to help the allergy community find their *just right* balance between the overwhelm and quality of life. Subscribe so you don't miss any of this great content, including updates on my book (Navigating the Overwhelm of Allergy Parenting) to be published by Johns Hopkins University Press!
Taking Action When Feeling Stuck!
Hi Reader For parents with kids and teens managing food allergies and allergic conditions, the start of the new school year can be a particularly stressful time of year. Especially when transitioning to a new school or building, the fear of the unknowns can take over and crank up the anxious thoughts. As a parent of a teen with food allergy, I get it! I have experienced (and still do experience) food allergy-related anxiety at various points in this parenting journey. After all, just because I'm a mental healthcare provider doesn't mean I'm immune to these emotions. As a clinical therapist, I know that manageable levels of stress and anxiety are normal, expected aspects of living with food allergy, which at times, can even be useful. But I also know how important it is to acknowledge these very real feelings, AND THEN, turn my thoughts to focus on ACTIONS. What do I mean by "actions"? Simply stated, these are steps we can take that will help us and/or our kids navigate through anxiety and stress-provoking situations. They're behaviors that we can engage in that help us cope and grow. They're the "HOWs" that helps lead us forward when feeling stuck.
Of course, this is not a full list of the actions that help us move from "I'm feeling stuck in my emotions" to "I can do this!", so I'd encourage you to explore actions you feel might be helpful. Start by focusing on thinking about what you and/or your child or teen can do MORE or LESS of to help move through feelings of overwhelm. My food allergic teen is starting high school, so this month I am focusing on my own helpful behaviors and actions! I'm taking my son's lead, since he's not anxious about transitioning to high school with a FA. We're discussing food service information so he can make informed lunch choices. We're reviewing the emergency action plan, various scenarios, and practicing using epinephrine. And of course, we've met and talked with the school nurse. It's okay (and helpful) to acknowledge and feel your emotions as you prepare and start this school year. But then remind yourself to focus on the actions and behaviors you can engage in that will help things feel more manageable and less overwhelming! Check out these FAC articles, which may serve as useful reminders as you start school:
As I wrap up this week's FAC Corner email, I'll leave you with this quote from Nelson Mandela to help shift the stuck mindset that fear, anxiety and overwhelm can lead us to: "I learned that courage was not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid but he who conquers that fear." The goal isn't to never experience FA-related anxiety and fear, but rather, to find ways to move forward even with it present! Founder & CEO, The Food Allergy Counselor If you know others who would benefit from receiving The FAC's emails, please don't keep them a secret! Forward this email, this link to subscribe, or this link to past emails. And don't forget about ALL of The FAC resources here to support you!
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Copyright © 2023 The Food Allergy Counselor, Inc. All rights reserved. DISCLAIMER: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace the medical or mental healthcare advice of your own healthcare provider. By reading this email, the reader acknowledges that there is no therapist-patient relationship between them and the author(s). If you think you are observing a medical or mental health emergency, call 911 immediately. |
The Food Allergy Counselor
As an allergy mental health expert, my emails share evidence-based information that you and your patients can apply in practical ways. At the same time, these emails are written in the same warm and relatable tone I use in all of my content. You'll feel as if we're sitting down, talking over a cup of coffee (or tea, since I'm not a coffee drinker)! And if you haven't visited my website, be sure to check out all of the evidence-based and life-impacting content that continues to help the allergy community find their *just right* balance between the overwhelm and quality of life. Subscribe so you don't miss any of this great content, including updates on my book (Navigating the Overwhelm of Allergy Parenting) to be published by Johns Hopkins University Press!
Hi Reader, If you've read the last couple of Allergy Counseling Zone emails, you already know that I'm in the full swing of fall conference season, presenting to both provider and patient populations throughout North America this fall. That means my conference prep is your gain! Having already looked at the impacts food allergy has on key development and functioning within individuals and families in the last couple of emails, let's look through the third and final lens: the systems lens....
Hi Reader, With October comes Halloween - and a flurry of thoughts swirling around in the minds' of parents of kids with food allergies. "How should we approach Trick-or-Treating?" "Should I even let my child Trick-or-Treat?" "If we do, how do we balance safety and fun?" The truth is, the answers to these questions come from a shared decision-making process between parents, their child, and sometimes even the allergist. (I highly encourage you to call your healthcare team to ask safety...
Hi Reader, I am so excited to share this incredible news with you.... My debut book, Navigating the Overwhelm of Allergy Parenting is finally happening, and will be published by Johns Hopkins University Press! Here's the official announcement being shared on Publisher's Marketplace: "Tamara Hubbard, MA, LCPC, international speaker and allergy mental health expert, has signed with Johns Hopkins University Press to author a book offering Acceptance and Commitment Therapy-based guidance for...